If anyone tells you there isn't any money in the budget to pump tell them they are either (1) flat out lying or (2) don't know what they are talking about. I had this conversation w/ my local senator a while back. Pittman-Robertson taxes that come back to the states are to be used for purposes like this. If the Site manager doesn't know this then he should be FORMALLY informed. This is true for any State area in Illinois that needs to be pumped for waterfowl. My senator was trying to tell me budget this, budget that BS BS BS. When he got to checking it out he found out what I was talking about. There were millions of dollars in that account. It was the same money Blago tried to steal for other purposes a few years back. Call and e-mail your reps day after day after day after day until they reply w/ actual fact to you !!!

I was out on the 31st of july on the back lakes doing some teal scouting and there was plenty of water there. not sure how much as dont have a depth finder but i was able to run a long shaft motor through there without kicking up any mud. i was going slow but still would have kicked it up. never hit any stumps either. The duck island portion was way up from where it normally is.

Was out teal hunting the last few days of season and goose pond was extremely shallow...even with a mud motor...like a foot deep. Big lake is accessible as well as the main lake. From what I have heard..they are going to pump it back up a little but will take longer because they have to pump over the new levee into the old ditch then pump it from there to the main lake and Big lake. But thats just what I've heard...so take it as ya will. Obviously if we get a little rain..that'll help

Big lake seemed to be about the same level as it was last year. Shallow. It would be nice if they pump it up into the timber line and into the willows. Should not have to many issues getting to blinds on rice right now. There is plenty of water for an outboard, just stay on plane for as long as possible or let her eat through the mud.

rism wrote:If anyone tells you there isn't any money in the budget to pump tell them they are either (1) flat out lying or (2) don't know what they are talking about. I had this conversation w/ my local senator a while back. Pittman-Robertson taxes that come back to the states are to be used for purposes like this. If the Site manager doesn't know this then he should be FORMALLY informed. This is true for any State area in Illinois that needs to be pumped for waterfowl. My senator was trying to tell me budget this, budget that BS BS BS. When he got to checking it out he found out what I was talking about. There were millions of dollars in that account. It was the same money Blago tried to steal for other purposes a few years back. Call and e-mail your reps day after day after day after day until they reply w/ actual fact to you !!!

I think you're referring to duck stamp dollars and they get ~$250,000 a year for maintenance and fuel on state sites. states don't get PR dollars unless they write a grant for reimbursement.